Scottish Water’s Water of Leith projects are required to improve the natural environment and reduce the amount of sewer related debris which could reach the Water of Leith watercourse. Scottish Water and SEPA have identified 17 areas in the Upper reaches of the Water of Leith (From Balerno to Longstone) where sewer debris could currently be discharged to the watercourse in periods of high rainfall. These overflows occur from chambers called Combined Sewer Overflow’s (CSO) which relieve the sewers of water during periods of heavy rainfall, the existing chambers which are located throughout the Water of Leith which do not have adequate screening to retain sewerage debris within the sewer are classified as having Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges (UID’s). Scottish Water are planning a multi-million pound investment to install new pipework, chambers and screens to reduce the risk of debris entering the Water of Leith and removing the UID’s thus improving the aesthetics and reducing the environmental impact of storm overflows on the Water of Leith. This will result in an improved watercourse for all its users.

Given the locations and nature of the current sewers and chambers, the construction works required to install the new chambers and pipework will be quite significant to the areas affected and it will be inevitable that there will be some local disruptions during the works. We will try and keep the impact as minimal as possible while carrying out these important upgrade works. At this stage we are verifying the designs by completing ground investigation surveys and site investigation works in order to assess ground conditions and levels to allow the detailed design to be completed. At this stage the main construction works are not planned to take place until 2021 so there should be minimal impact on the Water of Leith at this time.

There is also a similar study ongoing within the Lower reaches of the Water of Leith which will also involve the upgrade of the CSO chambers and pipework from Longstone down to Leith.